Shifting top for carriages.



N0. 848,820. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

Q A. G. GERTH.

SHIFTING TOP FOR GARRIAGES.

' APPLIGATION FILED DEG. 6,-1906.

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ANTHONY C. GERTH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF THIRTY ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO JOSEPH B. GERTH AND THIRTY ONE- I-IUNDREDTHS TO HARRY T. BECKER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed December 6,1906. Serial No. 346,530.

I '0 (all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY C. GERTH, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Cincinnati, county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shifting Tops for Carriages, of which the following is a specification.-

My invention relates to detachable carriage-tops for vehicles. One of its objects is to provide means whereby the carriage-top may be readily and firmly attached when desired. and conveniently detached and laid aside when not required.

Another object is to provide means for resisting the strain due to heavy winds upon the top.

Another object is to provide means for firmly and effectually locking the detached portions to the body of the vehicle.

It further consists in certain details, all of which will be more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehiclebody with my improvements mounted thereon. Fi 2 is a plan view of the vehicleseat with the top detached. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2, showing the yoke-frame of the carriage-top locked in position thereon. Fig. f is a detail perspective view of a portion of the yoke-frame. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on line 22 o of Fig. 3.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the vehicle-body; B, the seat-frame; b b, the brackets by means of which the carriage-top is attached to the seat-frame.

The detachable top consists of a U-shaped or yoke-shaped frame C, provided with the usual journal-pins c at the sides, front, and rear, to which the usual arms d are pivoted to the top (1, d representing the jointed or brace rods by means of which the top is held in an extended position.

As shown in Fig. 2, the brackets b overhang the seat-frame B and are provided with openings l) and slots 6 leading therefrom, the openings 12 being large enough to permit the introduction of the heads 0 of the pins which project downward from the yokeframe C, while the slot b is adapted to embrace the neck 0 of the pins c 0 represent leaf-springs attached to the inside of the frame C, provided with downwardly-projecting lugs 0 which when the neck 0 is forced into the slot 6 spring into the openings 6 to lock the pins 0 in place, as shown in Fig. 5. 0 represents pins similar to pins 0 at the rear end of the yoke-frame 0 which enter slots 6 in the yoke carrying the brackets b, the pins 0 being locked in position against vertical movement by means of the heads 0 and being locked against detachment from the slots b by the introduction of the pins 0 into the recesses and the locking of the same by the spring 0 and its lug 0".

It will be noted that the slots If enter from the rear of the brackets 6. Thus the yokeframe C and the top may be set upon the bracket 1) and slipped forward until the neck of the pins 0 enter the slots 6 after which the pins 0 may be forced through the openings b and locked in position by the spring 0 This arrangement insures a firm attachment of the frame C at the rear end of the seat-frame B and prevents any yielding of the frame C, due to side strains from wind or movements of the vehicle-body, while the attachment of the frame C to the brackets b, as above described, holds the pins 0 firmly in place in the bracket 1), and lugs 0 spring into place to lock the pins 0 in place automatically as soon as the forward end of the yoke frame is spread to force theneck of the pin 0 into the recess 6 requiring no special attention on the part of the operator except to spread the forward end of the frame C to force the neck of the pins into the recesses 6 The automatic action of the springs c greatly facilitates the adj usting, of the frame C to position, particularly where the same is to be done by one person. This spring also prevents the accidental unfastening of the yoke-frame C from the seat-body andprevents the rattling of the parts and permits the carriage-top to be quickly and readily attached 0r detached.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an article of the character indicated, a frame having forward and rear brackets from the sides thereof, rearwardlyppening slots in the rear brackets and holes pierced in the forward brackets, a yoke-frame provided with downwardly-projecting pins, said pins having necks to engage the slots and holes of the brackets, and spring-actuated lugs adapted to enter said holes in the forward brackets to lock the pins in place.

2. In an article of the character indicated, a frame having forward and rear brackets projecting outward from the sides thereof, rearwardly-opening slots in the rear brackets and holes having side slots pierced in the for- Ward brackets, a frame carrying the vehicletop provided with downwardly-projecting pins, said pins having heads at their projecting ends and reduced necks to enter the slots in the respective brackets, and spring-actu ated lugs carried by said frame and located at the sides of the forward pins to enter the holes in the forward brackets alongside the pins When the pins enter the slots in the forward brackets ANTHONY C. GERTH. Witnesses HARRY T. BECKER, W ALTER F. MURRAY. 

